Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is how algae, cyanobacteria, and plants convert light into chemical energy. There are actually two kinds of photosynthesis: oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis. Since the latter does not produce oxygen and is mostly limited to bacteria, we’ll focus on oxygenic photosynthesis for the cannabis plant.

During oxygenic photosynthesis, the cannabis plant absorbs carbon dioxide and light. These inputs are processed by plants like a biological factory into energy or carbohydrates for the plant to grow, releasing oxygen as a by-product.

Cannabis plants, like other plants, contain chlorophyll; it’s what gives them their green color. More importantly, the pigmentation is the key to how cannabis plants use their leaves like solar panels. Chlorophyll traps blue and red-spectrum light.